Can Roofers Work in the Rain? What to Ask Before Tear-Off
"looks like it will be pumping rain directly into the home yes?"
A commenter on r/Roofing asked that about photos another homeowner posted before paying for the work. There is no single yes or no for your roof. What matters is whether the bare deck is covered or sealed each night, whether any wet wood is dried or replaced before shingles go on, and whether the rain plan is in writing. Ask for those three things before tear-off.
Quick answer:
- Ask what covers the open roof each night, and whether the roof deck will be sealed, before anyone removes a shingle.
- Ask who dries or replaces any wood that gets wet before the shingles go on.
- Get the rain plan, the timeline and the warranty in writing.
- After rain during the job, check your ceilings and attic, and take dated photos of anything you find.
On this page
None of this needs roofing knowledge. The questions cost nothing, and you can ask them before the job starts.
Why is an open roof the real risk?
With the shingles off, the underlayment and the sheathing are the only protection against rainwater1. The sheathing is the wood deck. The underlayment is the water-resistant layer laid over it. Until the new roof covering goes on, that is all that stands between the rain and your attic.
Another commenter looking at a roof left open wrote: "I wouldn't have been able to sleep with a roof open like this over night." That worry has a practical answer: a plan for the open deck, agreed before tear-off.
Why do crews stop in the rain?
Mostly for footing: wet weather, meaning rain, snow or sleet, is a reason to suspend roof sheathing work2 unless safe footing can be assured.
That is a safety reason, not a measure of shingle quality. A crew on the roof in drizzle does not tell you the job is sound, and a crew that stops does not tell you it is poor.
Wondering what else is normal during a replacement, from day one to the last walkthrough? What to expect during a roof replacement.
What covers the roof overnight
A sealed roof deck is a continuous secondary water barrier that helps keep rain out3, and it is one way a roofer can protect the deck under the new roof. Not every roofer includes it, so confirm at the quote stage whether sealing the deck is part of the plan3.
Getting the roof tarped nice and tight is the other way to cover it, but a tarp has limits. One commenter put the limit this way. "The tarp covers most of it, if it’s a light rain could be ok but I see the decking is off so some of that rain is hitting directly onto insulation and the interior ceiling."
What if the wood got wet?
Drying quickly matters. Wet or damp materials dried within 24-48 hours of a leak in most cases won't grow mold4, and that window is worth keeping in mind for wet wood and insulation.
Damaged wood is replaced, not covered over5.
Want the wood question settled in writing before the crew covers it? What roof rot means and what to get in writing.
Put the rain plan in writing
Ask for a written explanation of the work, a list of materials, a timeline, a cost breakdown and the warranty details6. The written timeline is where a rain-delay plan belongs. In California, a warranty on labor or materials should be in writing, saying which parts of the work are covered and for how long7.
Also ask for copies of the contractor’s liability insurance and workers’ compensation certificates8, and confirm both are in effect through the job. Liability insurance is the contractor’s cover for damage to your home, and workers’ compensation is for crew injuries.
The order that works:
- Before tear-off, ask whether the deck will be sealed, what covers it each night, what happens if rain is forecast, and who dries or replaces wet wood.
- Have the answers written into the estimate and the timeline, with the warranty.
- Collect the insurance certificates before work starts.
- After any rain during the job, check the house from inside and the ground.
Ask each roofer to put the rain plan and the price of replacing wet decking in writing. You can send this:
Please write in your estimate what covers the open roof each night, what you do if rain is forecast during the job, and the price per sheet if wet decking has to be replaced. Please also send photos of any damaged wood before it is covered, and do not put shingles over wet wood until it is dry or replaced.
If a roofer won't put this in writing, that is an answer too: weigh it against the bids that do.
Once the crew leaves, how do you tell settling from a real defect? Is it normal for new shingles not to lie flat.
Check from the ground and the attic
You do not need to climb. Look for these from inside and from the ground:
- Ceiling: a new stain or a drip.
- Attic, if you can reach it safely: damp insulation or wet-looking wood under the roof.
- Outside, from the ground: a tarp that has shifted or an opening that is not covered.
- Water coming in now: ask your roofer to cover the open roof again. Inside, remove standing water and cover broken windows and holes to keep rain out9, and dry what got wet quickly.
- Before any call: have your photos, the written plan and these questions at hand.
Quick questions
What is the 25% rule for roofing?
In Florida, for roofs built, repaired or replaced to the 2007 code or later, only the portion worked on must meet the current code when 25 percent or more is repaired, replaced or recovered10. In San Diego, a code rule applies where more than 25% of the total roof area is replaced, altered or repaired within any twelve-month period11. Ask your roofer and your local building department which threshold applies to your roof.
How much does it cost to fix a roof that only leaks in heavy rain? The price depends on what the roofer finds, so ask for a written quote that lists each item. Note whether it leaks with every heavy rain or only in some storms, and where it shows up, because that helps the roofer trace it.
Who is responsible if rain gets into my house during the job? Ask the roofer to state in the contract who handles it. For how your own policy treats it, ask your insurance agent before the job starts.
Is this different in the UK? This page is written for US homes. The safety and code rules linked here are American, so a UK reader should ask a local roofer about local rules.
Sources
1. U.S. Department of Energy, Building America Solution Center (PNNL): Asphalt Shingle Roofs
2. U.S. Department of Labor, OSHA: Appendix E to Subpart M of Part 1926, Sample Fall Protection Plan
3. Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS): Sealed Roof Deck
4. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: A Brief Guide to Mold, Moisture and Your Home
5. IBHS FORTIFIED: FORTIFIED Home Re-Roofing Checklist
6. North Carolina Department of Insurance: Avoiding predatory roofing scams
8. National Roofing Contractors Association: Selecting a Contractor
9. Texas Department of Insurance: Hail damage to your home or car? What to do next
10. Florida Legislature: Florida Statutes 553.844, roofing systems
Found an error on this page? Email [email protected].